Wisconsin Man Charged With Reckless Homicide After Altercation In A Parking Lot

A 50 year old Wisconsin man Matthew L. Kinstler is accused of fatally beating a 79-year-old man in the parking lot of a Menards store. He has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide in connection to the May 1 incident.

Kinstler is accused of getting into an altercation with 79 year old Russell Paulson in  a Menards parking lot in La Crosse Wisconsin. According to court documents Bring Me The News reported " Kinstler was parked near the front of the store and when he was returning to his car, he saw Paulson nearly hit his vehicle while he was parking. Witnesses said Kinstler walked up to Paulson and accused him of dinging his vehicle and began yelling at him, while Paulson denied hitting the vehicle. "

According to witnesses on scene Kinstler got in Paulsons face and Paulson slapped him across the face. Kinstler then grabbed Paulsons cane and hit him over the head with it causing Paulson to fall to the ground.

Paulson was brought to the hospital suffering from multiple skull fractures. He was conscious when he got to the hospital and was interviewed by Investigators who said Paulson was hard of hearing, so it was difficult to interview him. But when asked if he gave permission for Kinstler to hit him, he said "Hell no. Hell no."

Paulson passed away on May 4 while Kinstler said he acted in self-defense. If convicted, Kinstler could face up to 60 years in prison.